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Unknown WW2 era Army camp near Pearblossom around the Palmdale/ Lancaster area


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  • 3 weeks later...

Yea this is definitely awesome, Google earth has been a god send in being able to find old camps.

 

For the most part the grid layouts although overgrown still very much exist and can be seen clearly.

 

I've looked at a few camps out in California/arizona via GE that Patton used

 

I believe there's like 11 camps that made up the desert training center and x amount of airfields too

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Google earth helps if you have a search area and an idea of what your looking for. After finding a crash site I've gone back to see what they look like on Google earth and unless you went to the crash site and have exact numbers you would never know you are looking at a crash site. They are too small and have a minimal foot print. That camp was the same thing, You have to know what you are looking for,

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  • 2 years later...
On 8/16/2017 at 2:51 PM, P-59A said:

I was goggle earth searching a broader area and saw a bombing circle a few miles away next to a water canal. I had no idea that was there. I don't know if they are connected, but they are both WW2 era.

Hi!

A little late to this, but the "bombing circle" was made sometime between 1953 and 1955 and complete sometime between '55 and '59 (one complete circle and two 3/4 circles).  It might've been a type of bombing ring, but not WWII era.  Perhaps rudimentary photo recon imaging for EAFB or photo bombing ring?  In '59 there's a house just 1/2 mi NE of the bomb center so if there was any live bombing, it had to have stopped by then.

On 8/16/2017 at 2:51 PM, P-59A said:

 

 

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4 hours ago, RickJ said:

Hi!

A little late to this, but the "bombing circle" was made sometime between 1953 and 1955 and complete sometime between '55 and '59 (one complete circle and two 3/4 circles).  It might've been a type of bombing ring, but not WWII era.  Perhaps rudimentary photo recon imaging for EAFB or photo bombing ring?  In '59 there's a house just 1/2 mi NE of the bomb center so if there was any live bombing, it had to have stopped by then.

 

Better late than never. Thanks for the info.

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P59, there is a lady in Palmdale who runs Gramercy Square.

 

She has lived in the area all her life and knows where many lost areas are.

 

Like the communist party community that no longer exists.

 

 Here is a satellite photo of Gramercy Square.

 

She has a huge pile of M1 steel helmets all rusted together.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I've been visiting this area the last few weeks while the weather here was "cool".  Used my drone to map the area and ID potential targets.  Found some interesting things.  This area may have been used for the Desert Training Center, but one part of this area is dated late in the game.  It's a concrete rectangle with names inscribed in it.  One of them is dated 8/22/43.  9/43 saw the highest amount of troops in the DTC and then it was declared surplus in 4/44.  If this was used for the DTC it might've been used for the overnight stay of the troops returning camp items removed from the camps during it's shutdown.

 

Some of the items I've found are the same as P59...cartridges (EN 42, LC 42, DEN 43, SL 43, VU 2, FA 40) and glass vials.  Also found a shot bullet, some .22's and items I can't ID.  Did see some trash in a couple pits near the parking area, but it's hard to tell if it's WWII or later.  I think it was dumped later as there's easy access.  Someone had dumped what looked to be horse manure in one.  Looked to me that most of the pits in the camp area were latrines as there was no trash around them, only wood.

 

Going to do some more research, then back I go!

 

 

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Date correction-

 

It's a concrete rectangle with names inscribed in it.  One of them is dated 9/22/43.  9/43 saw the highest amount of troops in the DTC, and then was declared surplus in 4/44.  If this was used for the DTC it might've been used for the troops returning to camp before going overseas and the removal of camp items.

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Went back out today with my older metal detector.  It's pretty basic, but it's great for finding desirable metal objects in the desert.  Started out to sweep all the pits first.  On the way to the first one, I got a hit.  Found 13 shot cartridges in the first 5 minutes!  So, onto the pits.  No metal in them except for 2, and I think that's post-war trash.  All the others had wood and nails around them, so they're pit toilets and possibly showers.  The pit toilets are only about 11' across while the shower (?) is about 36' long.  You can see a bit of what's left of the rock alignment for the walkway to the toilet.  It's more complete in other areas of the camp.latrine.jpg.2d9a7b4f8378d1d73840e5daba62c5f0.jpgshower.jpg.82d56013005bf67bcfd815651516c6a2.jpg

 

Kept sweeping and found more cartridges in various areas, both in and out of the living areas.  Lots of .22, one .32.  Found some razor blades, but no other personal items which is strange.  Thinking either they buried their trash in a completely different area, or it was trucked out.  Had been there about 3 hours and decided to call it quits.  Thought I'd try again in the area I first found the cartridges in the morning and hit the mother load.  There were at least 20 cartridges on the surface or partially buried.  Picked those up then went over the area with the detector where I found more.  20201023_143126_resized.jpg.2328698f3087d7a884d38f91f03d8261.jpg

Best thing I found was the shot cartridges in a stripper clip.  Total for today is 68 shot .30-06. one unshot cartridge (no bullet, so gunpowder came out when I was cleaning it) and some shot bullets.  I'm surprised I didn't find any stripper clips around the shot cartridges.  I'll go out again and check some other areas.

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  • 1 month later...

Very interesting thread. It looks like most of the 30-06 are balnk cartridges, you can tell by the extra crimp at the bullet end.

Thanks for all this fun read.

BKW

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Rick, The elderly lady is the one who told me about it years ago. Its a way point for convoys going from Nor Cal to the Desert training center. Everything indicates it was only used about a year or so. That long concrete structure is the head near the parking area. Good for you! I gave scant info on its location for a reason. It's all about the hunt!!!!

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